Your Next Step in Healthcare Quality Starts Here
August 25, 2026Share:
Healthcare quality is both a profession and a discipline grounded in continuous learning, growth and improvement. As healthcare evolves, those of us who work in quality and safety — essentially all of us — must continually strengthen our capabilities, so we are prepared to meet new challenges and lead meaningful change.
In a recent column, NAHQ CEO Stephanie Mercado wrote about the future of healthcare quality and the importance of continuous capability building. I strongly agree. The complexity facing healthcare today makes it clear that we cannot rely on what we learned five, 10 or even two years ago to carry us forward. The work is changing, and so must we.
For those of us who have chosen a career in healthcare, and especially those who have chosen healthcare quality as our profession, that means taking responsibility for our own continued growth.
The good news is that you don’t have to figure out what comes next on your own. NAHQ offers several ways to help you design and navigate your professional development journey, no matter where you are in your career.
NAHQ membership was created to help you build the knowledge, skills and connections you need to lead quality forward. And then there is the power of the community. This year, NAHQ introduced new membership packages shaped by input from our community, offering more ways to engage with NAHQ and tailor your experience to your professional goals.
One of the most valuable aspects of being a NAHQ member is knowing that you are part of a profession and discipline, not practicing in isolation. Through NAHQ, you can connect with peers, learn from leaders in the field, share what is working, and discover approaches you can take back to your own organization. Membership also provides access to professional development, career resources, recognition, and opportunities to contribute to the profession and discipline.
NAHQ next is one of my favorite examples of what this community makes possible. This year’s event, September 14–16, is designed specifically around what healthcare professionals working in quality need to be prepared for and what’s next for the field. Sessions are aligned to the Healthcare Quality Competency Framework™ and feature real-world perspectives, practical solutions, and CPHQ continuing education. NAHQ members and CPHQs receive discounted NAHQ next registration and registrants receive on‑demand access to all content through the end of the year.
As you think about your own professional development, I encourage you to ask yourself three questions:
What capability do I need to strengthen next? What can I learn from my peers and other leaders in the profession? How can I use what I learn to create greater impact for myself, my team, my organization, and ultimately for the patients and communities we serve?
Your answers may lead you to NAHQ membership. They may lead you to NAHQ next. They may lead you to a Micro‑Credential, the CPHQ, or another learning opportunity. They may lead you to become more engaged with the NAHQ community or to share your own expertise with others.
Whatever your next step is, take it.
Continuous capability building isn’t simply about keeping up with healthcare. It is about preparing ourselves to lead what comes next.
April Taylor, FACHE, CMQ/OE, CLSSBB, CPPS, CPHQ
NAHQ President
There is a roadmap to healthcare Quality excellence. NAHQ can help you follow it.
The NAHQ Healthcare Quality Competency Framework™ serves as the industry-standard, defining the Quality Safety competencies, skills and behaviors required to advance Quality & Safety excellence across the healthcare continuum.
This expert-created, data-informed framework is continuously validated and updated by NAHQ to ensure it provides the most up-to-date information, guiding professionals, organizations, and the healthcare industry to create a competent, coordinated workforce prepared to deliver healthcare excellence.
